Do Students Succeed at Dakota County Technical College?
Discover how students at Dakota County Technical College progress — from enrollment through completion, transfer, and beyond.
Student Success at Dakota County Technical College at a Glance
Dakota County Technical College is a public institution offering at least 2 but less than 4 years programs located in Rosemount, MN. Current enrollment is 2,894 students.
- 57.7% overall graduation rate (IPEDS)
- 48.7% of all entering students earn their award within 8 years
- 87% of exiters from its largest program (Practical Nursing) were employed within 6 months — verified by the U.S. Department of Labor
- DOL-verified median earnings of $8,966 per quarter after exiting Practical Nursing
- 822 graduates across 98 programs in 2025
- VA-approved for GI Bill benefits — 117 students used them here
Program-Level Results · Verified by the U.S. Department of Labor
Verified Program Outcomes
Completion and employment results reported to the U.S. Department of Labor for Dakota County Technical College programs on the state Eligible Training Provider List. Missing values ("—") mean the state suppressed or did not report that metric — they never mean zero.
| Program | Completion rate | Employed 6 mo after exit | Employed 1 yr after exit | Median quarterly earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Practical Nursing | 48% | 87% | 85% | $8,966 |
| Individualized Studies | 27% | 64% | 65% | $5,334 |
| Automotive Service (ASEP) | 62% | 81% | 86% | $9,613 |
| Automotive Technician | 62% | 81% | 86% | $9,613 |
| Mopar Career Automotive Program (MCAP) | 62% | 81% | 86% | $9,613 |
| Nursing Assistant | 95% | 76% | 81% | $4,718 |
| Electrical Construction and Maintenance Technology | 66% | 88% | 86% | $9,412 |
| Welding Technology | 88% | 85% | 84% | $10,776 |
| Business Administration | 34% | 71% | 70% | $10,018 |
| Technical Management | 34% | 71% | 70% | $10,018 |
| Networking Administration | 48% | 83% | 82% | $8,662 |
| Accountant | 56% | 80% | 77% | $10,449 |
| Software Development | 35% | 75% | 73% | $6,738 |
| Business Management | 25% | 77% | 83% | $9,041 |
| Electrical Lineworker | 90% | 77% | 80% | $13,231 |
| Dental Assistant | 29% | 88% | 87% | $8,305 |
| Graphic Design Technology | 29% | 78% | 78% | $5,281 |
| Heavy Duty Truck Technology | 74% | 90% | 86% | $13,937 |
| Digital Marketing Specialist | 37% | 71% | 72% | $8,975 |
| Marketing | 37% | 71% | 72% | $8,975 |
| Construction Management | 32% | 72% | 71% | $11,499 |
| Heavy Construction Equipment Technology | 80% | 94% | 95% | $15,682 |
| Medical Assistant | 82% | 85% | 87% | $8,642 |
| Early Childhood and Youth Development | 28% | 77% | 77% | $5,925 |
| Medical Coding Specialist | 57% | 76% | 74% | $9,830 |
| Supervisory Leadership | 79% | 78% | 73% | $11,717 |
| Architectural Technology | 73% | 80% | 79% | $10,391 |
| Interior Design | 75% | 75% | 73% | $6,817 |
| Information Systems Management | 33% | 68% | 72% | $8,881 |
| Heating Ventilation Air Conditioning and Refrig | 79% | 82% | 84% | $10,494 |
| Civil Engineering and Land Survey Technology | 77% | 83% | 76% | $11,963 |
| Small Business Entrepreneur | 46% | 62% | 59% | $6,115 |
| Human Resource Management | 76% | 88% | 86% | $11,615 |
| Multi-Cultural Human Resource Management | 76% | 88% | 86% | $11,615 |
| Quality Improvement | 76% | 88% | 86% | $11,615 |
| Brewing & Beer Steward Technology | 87% | 80% | 78% | $9,666 |
| Biomedical Equipment Technology | 64% | 74% | 73% | $11,625 |
| Exercise and Sport Science | 27% | 71% | 66% | $6,368 |
| Auto Body Collision Technology | 53% | 85% | 73% | $8,093 |
| Automotive Chassis | 34% | 77% | 77% | $7,908 |
| Automotive Electronics | 34% | 77% | 77% | $7,908 |
| Automotive Engine Performance | 34% | 77% | 77% | $7,908 |
| Automotive Powertrain | 34% | 77% | 77% | $7,908 |
| Professional Photography | 40% | 71% | 78% | $5,998 |
| Small Business Accounting | 35% | 80% | 69% | $8,443 |
| Photography | 31% | 56% | 59% | $4,135 |
| Child and Family Studies | 34% | 86% | 84% | $6,471 |
| Desktop Programming | 47% | 75% | 74% | $8,989 |
| Web Programming | 47% | 75% | 74% | $8,989 |
| Early Childhood Education Transfer Pathway | 69% | 69% | 71% | $8,324 |
| Interior Design: NCIDQ Pathway | 33% | 73% | 64% | $5,318 |
| Web Design | 48% | 68% | 85% | $7,482 |
| Body Technician | 52% | 78% | 73% | $8,896 |
| Estimator | 52% | 78% | 73% | $8,896 |
| Paint Preparation | 52% | 78% | 73% | $8,896 |
| Exercise Science Transfer Pathway | 50% | 75% | 73% | $6,170 |
| Multi-Cultural Leadership | 88% | 76% | 76% | $10,815 |
| Multi-Cultural Quality Management | 88% | 76% | 76% | $10,815 |
| Multi-Cultural Supervision | 88% | 76% | 76% | $10,815 |
| Truck Fleet Maintenance | 72% | 89% | 94% | $13,127 |
| HVAC/R | — | 100% | — | $11,348 |
| Executive Administrative Specialist | 67% | 73% | 80% | $6,510 |
| PC Technician | 52% | 76% | 75% | $5,644 |
| Medical Administrative Specialist | 46% | 79% | 73% | $5,187 |
| Legal Administrative Assistant | 47% | 88% | 86% | $7,113 |
| Heavy Construction Equipment Maintenance | 67% | 87% | 85% | $11,498 |
| Heavy Construction Equipment Mechanic | 67% | 87% | 85% | $11,498 |
| Personal Training | 38% | 77% | 77% | $4,521 |
| Sales Specialist | 42% | 75% | 80% | $4,585 |
| Administrative Assistant | 69% | 69% | 69% | $7,065 |
| Microsoft Office Applications Management | 69% | 69% | 69% | $7,065 |
| Accounting Clerk | 75% | 67% | 73% | $9,021 |
| Architectural Drafting | 57% | 100% | 100% | $8,056 |
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, WIOA participant outcomes (trainingproviderresults.gov), PY 2023.
College-Wide Statistics · IPEDS Federal Survey
What Are the Student Outcomes at Dakota County Technical College?
Unlike the program-level results above, the figures below cover all students at Dakota County Technical College, tracked over eight years by the federal IPEDS survey.
Overall Completion Rate
48.7%
Working Student Success
52.8%
Transfer Out Rate
17.1%
Still Enrolled Rate
0.1%
How Dakota County Technical College Compares
A completion rate of 49% places Dakota County Technical College in the typical zone for trade colleges. 0% are still enrolled, meaning the final completion picture continues to evolve — this is a metric where a school's profile changes over time as cohorts mature.
What Happens After Students Enroll at Dakota County Technical College?
Eight-Year Student Outcomes
Eight-year outcomes for students who entered Dakota County Technical College. This shows what happened to students in their cohort by the end of the tracking period.
Understanding These Outcomes
Completed: Students who earned a certificate, diploma, or degree from this institution.
Still Enrolled: Students who remain enrolled at this institution after the tracking period.
Transferred Out: Students who transferred to another institution and may have completed there.
No Award: Students who left without earning a credential and are not enrolled elsewhere.
Combined completion and transfer rate of 59.7% indicates strong student success pathways.
These outcomes track what happened to students eight years after they first enrolled. Completion rates include certificates, diplomas, and degrees earned at this institution. Transfer rates show students who continued their education at other colleges. Understanding these pathways helps prospective students set realistic expectations and plan their educational journey.
What Are the Transfer and Continuation Patterns at Dakota County Technical College?
Success Rates by Student Entry Pathway
Comparing completion rates across different student entry pathways helps understand which groups succeed and how transfer experience impacts outcomes.
Key Insights
Transfer students outperform first-time students by 11.0 percentage points, suggesting the institution provides strong support for transfer pathways and recognizes prior learning effectively.
Combined 14.0% transfer-out rate suggests this institution may serve as a stepping stone for students continuing their education elsewhere.
Cohort Composition
Understanding Student Pathways
First-Time Students: Beginning postsecondary education for the first time at this institution.
Transfer-In Students: Previously attended another postsecondary institution before enrolling here.
Continuing Students: Returned to this institution after a break in enrollment.
Completion rates tracked over 8 years from initial entry.
Different student entry pathways lead to varying success rates. First-time students enter directly from high school or are starting college for the first time. Transfer students bring prior college experience and credits. Understanding these patterns helps you identify which pathway aligns best with your situation and predict your likelihood of success.
What Are the Completion Rates by Student Type at Dakota County Technical College?
What does this mean for you? These completion rates show how different types of students succeed at this institution. Notably, part-time students have a higher success rate here (52.8% vs 43.4% for full-time), which is great news if you plan to work while studying. This pattern is common at trade colleges where programs are designed to accommodate working adults. First-time students are those new to college, while transfer students have attended another institution before.
What Are the Cohort Outcomes Over Time at Dakota County Technical College?
Tracking outcomes for the 2015-16 cohort of 1,113 students
After 4 Years
After 6 Years
After 8 Years (Final)
Final Student Status
Completion Breakdown by Cohort
Part-time First-time Transfer Students
All First-time Transfer Students
Full-time First-time Transfer Students
Part-time First-time Students
All Part-time Students
All First-time Students
Part-time Non-first-time Transfer Students
All Full-time Students
Time to Completion
About This Data
Outcome measures data tracks student cohorts over 4, 6, and 8-year periods. Data is sourced from IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) and reflects the most recent available reporting year.